The Reading List
It has been too long since I’ve put one of these together. Frankly, inexcusable because I enjoy sharing the books I read. The present is always available for improved focus. And that’s where we find ourselves. Rather than make a catch up attempt with everything and overwhelm myself, I lob out a few here today and make a better effort at putting this together monthly going forward.
Educated by Tara Westover
One of the more searing memoirs I’ve read. Westover grew up in a fundamental religious and disturbingly abusive home. Her story begins in childhood, prevented from attending school, overcoming lack of education to attend Brigham Young University, Harvard University and the University of Cambridge, eventually earning a PhD. Courage and curiosity are words that come to mind in light of a painful childhood. With self-awareness, Westover shows the need for both as she discovers how to create a more fulfilling life.
Letter to the Father by Franz Kafka
As the story goes, while Franz Kafka and his father had been estranged, Franz penned a letter to his father to reach out. He then gave the letter to his mother to deliver to his father. Instead, she returned the letter to the author rather than grant the wish of her son. Kafka’s letter is an attempt to find some recognition and common ground with his narcissistic father. Unfortunately, Franz died five years later. It is intensely heartbreaking and a worthwhile read for anyone who has travelled through the suffering of such a relationship.
Draft No. 4 by John McPhee
If you’ve heard of McPhee, you already know he’s a magician with words. If you haven’t, this is the perfect book to start with as it does provide a nice overview of his work. McPhee is a professor of journalism at Princeton, for the past 50 years, and a Pulitzer Prize winning author of narrative nonfiction. This particular book is a series of essays that details his writing process and wonderfully weaves in relational anecdotes, travels, and general research from his past writings. If you are interested in reading about the writing process, this book, next to Bird by Bird and The War of Art, would be right at the top for me.
Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger
I put this book off far too long considering how much I enjoyed it. Arnold chronicles his childhood and his life as a bodybuilder, actor, and governor of California and shares his successes and failures alike as a guide for living with purpose and being useful to ourselves and others. What you might not know about him is the struggle he went through early in life and what he had to overcome to become who he is. It’s even better than you think. I also watched his Netflix docuseries, “Arnold,” also fantastic.
Inward and Clarity & Connection by Yung Pueblo
I characterize Yung Pueblo’s writing as self-healing and creating better relationships through a collection of poetry. While you can read his work straight through, it asks for a more meditative and reflective experience. This is really what makes his writing so great. His prose, simple and short, leaves a lot to think on. I liked both books equally and can’t recommend one over the other.
As always, thank you for reading. I hope you will read whichever of these books grabs your attention.
If you have any recommendations on similar topics, feel free to leave a comment or simply hit reply.
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